Muslim girls' experiences with Islamophobia, sexism, and anti-Black racism in Ontario secondary schools: A case study
Abstract
This qualitative case-study explored the experiences of 20 Muslim girls who attended public secondary schools in Ontario, Canada. The main objective of this research was to understand how Muslim girls’ intersecting identities shaped their school, family, and community experiences. Drawing on anti-racist and postcolonial feminism, this study builds upon existing research conducted on Muslim girls by exploring how other categories of social difference, in addition to gender and religion, converge and influence their educational experiences.
The findings from this study uncovered the impact of racial diversity in Muslim girls’ school and community experiences. Namely, anti-Black racism was central to some of the participants’ lives which provided valuable insight into the unexpected ways in which religion, gender, and race converged and informed participants’ educational experiences. Furthermore, participants who were relatively new to Canada and came from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds were more vulnerable to educational challenges in some circumstances. This research also provided important contributions regarding how geographical location influenced participants’ school experiences. Finally, the findings of this study show that while the participants experienced challenges within their homes, they viewed their families as an important source of support for reaching their educational pursuits.
Given the gaps in the research and the limited studies that examine Muslim students’ experiences in Ontario secondary schools, policymakers and educators aiming to meet the needs of racialized youth within Canadian schools can draw on this research for insight into Muslim girls’ experiences.